25 Days of Christmas Experiences

Well, I love counting down the days of Christmas, and advent calenders are fun but I wanted something more interactive. Something fun and exciting for my little one!! I decided that our Elf on the Shelf will from December first until Christmas have a little sign that says 25 days till Christmas and so on... Then we will have a bucket in which we can pick an envelope out or a wrapped package.

There are some things we will definitely doing on certain days, other things on the list will simply be done when we want. I will mark all the ones in envelopes so I know which is which. Example we cant make a snowman if there is no snow. Also, 25 days of Christmas is pretty demanding. I know some days when I get home from work make dinner get all that cleaned up and all that I am not going to want to do a Christmas craft.. This is the beauty of not having items on certain days!! One night that we are tired from everyday life can be the night we watch "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." It will be a wonderful fun Holiday season for my little one, as well as making it easier to spend good quality family time together :) Now for the list. This is what I came up with. I hope you like it and use it in your own family. Tweak it or leave it but no matter what I hope you have fun with it!

1.Write and mail a letter to Santa. You can get a letter post marked from the North Pole back and addressed to your little one from the USPS check it out HERE.
2. Have a dance party.. To Christmas music of course
3. Decorate a gingerbread house.. even sugar cones to decorate as trees outside the house.
4. Make a snowman
5.The evening of Dec. 5th leave your shoes out for St. Nick
6. Celebrate St. Nicholas day by doing a Santa craft! More info about St. Nick day HERE
7. Watch Rudolph and do corresponding craft. (I got foam diy ornaments from Michael's.)
8. Bake with mommy
9. Donate some old toys to make room for the new (good condition)
10. Watch Frosty and do corresponding craft (also at Michael's)
11. Make popcorn garland
12. Have a picnic next to the Christmas tree.
13. Make a red and green dinner
14. Make DIY ornament gifts for grandparents
15. Decorate cookies!!
16. Watch Polar Express and drink hot chocolate. Give the little one a bell :)
17. Adopt a family or soldier or give to Toys for Tots
18.Make paper snowflakes and hang in your windows
19. Watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas and drink Grinch Punch! Recipe found HERE
20. Have a snowman day. Eat snowman pizza (3 small round pizzas with Alfredo, olive buttons etc.) Eat powdered donuts, make a snowman craft.
21. Mommy Express!! Get kids in their PJ's and instead of going to bed, get hot cocoa and go for a car ride to look at all the lights in the neighborhood!
22. Leave something special for the Mailman :)
23. Watch Santa Clause is Coming to Town
24. Open Christmas Eve package! Include new PJ's for everyone, mugs for hot chocolate, popcorn, your families favorite Christmas movie, Have family time and watch the movie and eat your goodies, then read The Night Before Christmas book and send your little ones to dream land! If you have an Elf on the Shelf.. Make sure to say goodbye to him tonight!
25. Merry Christmas!! Go open your gifts :)